5 Hiking Etiquette Tips That Will Prevent Any Possible Rudeness

Use a little common sense and everyone is happier.

If you’re starting out as a hiker – or as an avid follower of any outdoor activity – you’re probably not aware of some of the finer rules and unwritten regulations that govern day-to-day activity. Which is another way of saying that you might make dumb mistakes and make people mad. But, thankfully, this article will help explain some basic hiking etiquette tips that will take away any of the guesswork and have you looking like a pro quickly.

Tip #1: Mind Your Environment. When you’re out hiking, it’s tempting to use new gadgets and equipment to make nature more like the indoors – and in doing so, we sometimes “mess” with the natural setting that so many people enjoy. Even if you’re not an environmentalist, it can be polite to make sure that you leave most of the wildlife the way you found it, so clean up after yourself. This also includes littering – littering is a big no-no: people don’t come out hiking to get a view of the latest junk food wrappers that have scattered on the ground.

Tip #2: The path isn’t a restroom. This might seem like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised how many people find it funny to use the path as their personal restroom. Instead, make sure that when nature calls, you’re well out of sight and won’t be making a mess that could get in the way of other hikers.

Tip #3: Use soap discriminantly. What does discriminantly mean? Well, many soap products can actually get into water supplies and make them bad; so make sure that you’re either using a public place that has drains to do your washing or in a source of water that’s far off the beaten path. If you’re soaping up your hair in a small waterfall that leads to a small stream that other people might use for various reasons, this could be considered rude.

Tip #4: Monitor your noise levels. One of the big irritants for many people isn’t necessarily the sight of another person, but the sound that person might bring with them. Don’t treat a hiking ground as a campsite where you can pull up your trailer and start blasting your tunes; instead, make sure that you mind other peoples’ experience. Control your noise and make sure that you don’t go above and beyond the unreasonable levels.

Tip #5: Notify rangers and supervisors about litter or vandalism. Sometimes, you might come across signs that have been vandalized or damaged – make sure that you keep a mental note of them and make sure to tell the local ranger. This will help maintain the site and will keep the signs fresh for other hikers.

Photo Credits: rcoder

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